connecting people

moving freight

strengthening communities

MAY 2021 TWIN CITIES – MILWAUKEE – CHICAGO intercit y passenger r ail WHAT IS THE TCMC PROJECT?

Project Highlights The Twin Cities - Milwaukee - Chicago Intercity » Provides more choices Passenger Rail Project (TCMC) adds a second, for regional travelers with daily round-trip passenger rail service to the time-sensitive plans and 411-mile corridor used by Amtrak’s long- schedules, making more distance Empire Builder and Hiawatha routes, trips viable by rail while also improving freight movement. TCMC » Uses existing infrastructure, leverages existing resources to cost-effectively stations and equipment to improve regional intercity transportation keep project costs down in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois. » Improves operations and expands capacity to provide more reliable service with better on- TCMC improves freight flow through Minnesota and Wisconsin, with key railroad improvements that eliminate bottlenecks. Most time performance for both importantly, the project doubles intercity rail options to access passenger and freight trains jobs, attractions, universities and world-class healthcare. » Improves intercity connections throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota with added rail schedules that connect to intercity bus and shuttle services, air travel, and local transit

morning 7.5 -hour 411-mile and midday TRAVEL 79 mph ROUTE departures from TIME SPEED Saint Paul to Chicago Saint Paul and Chicago Saint Paul to Chicago maximum in corridor

SERVICE 2 DAILY BEGINS ROUND 124,200 13 2024 TRIPS RIDERS STATIONS projected date and including TCMC and projected for opening shared with Hiawatha and subject to change Empire Builder service year of service (2024) Empire Builder routes

1 MAY 2021 TWIN CITIES – MILWAUKEE – CHICAGO INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL Duluth Superior THE TCMC CORRIDOR

MINNESOTA MICHIGAN

St. Cloud WISCONSIN

MINNEAPOLIS Wausau EAU CLAIRE SAINT PAUL Green Bay Stevens Point RED WING Appleton Manitowoc WINONA ROCHESTER TOMAH Oshkosh

Fond du Lac Sheboygan LA CROSSE WISCONSIN DELLS PORTAGE COLUMBUS Map not to scale.

MADISON Existing Amtrak Empire Builder route MILWAUKEE TCMC train station MITCHELL Potential TCMC connecting shuttle service Janesville INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Intercity bus service STURTEVANT Beloit Commercial airport

Census block within 30 miles of a station Rockford Census block within 15 miles of a shuttle stop IOWA ILLINOIS GLENVIEW The TCMC travelshed includes census blocks within 30 miles of stations and 15 miles of shuttle stops. CHICAGO

With 10 million trips annually among car, plane, bus TCMC’s travelshed and train modes, the TCMC “travelshed” – with includes about 59% of Wisconsin’s and connections to Chicago – is the most highly traveled 61% of Minnesota’s intercity corridor in Wisconsin and Minnesota. populations. The rail corridor is the backbone of the intercity network linking other travel modes that serve the three states’ population and economic centers.

The TCMC travelshed in Minnesota and Wisconsin is home to ... 120 1,250 26 HOTELS 620 6.5 million MEDICAL higher education and TOURIST PEOPLE 3 MILLION JOBS FACILITIES INSTITUTIONS RESORTS ATTRACTIONS

TWIN CITIES – MILWAUKEE – CHICAGO INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL MAY 2021 2 WHAT TCMC MEANS TO ...

… tourist towns and destinations: Most of the annual 4+ million visitors to Wisconsin “For those who are looking for Dells and the thousands of seasonal workers who alternatives to driving to reach the support the area’s tourism industry travel from the Dells and our businesses, there is Chicago, Milwaukee and Twin Cities areas. a shortage of options. The TCMC Project will double the passenger rail service ... opening up more schedule options for more trips.” ROMY A. SNYDER President/CEO Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau

… smaller urban TCMC helps rural and smaller urban and rural areas: communities attract and retain businesses and “… passenger rail would round residents by improving direct connections out our transportation picture, to the economic epicenters of the region. helping us fully realize the virtues of our region, keep the jobs and residents we have, and grow.” STEVEN SOBIEK Director, City of Portage Business Development and Planning

… universities and students: At Winona State and St. Mary’s universities in “To continue to grow and keep Minnesota, 41% of students have taken the our young talent and attract new train, and 57% say they would take the train if service residents, the 8,000 students at was more frequent. Winona State University and the 5,900 at St. Mary’s University, quality transportation service is critical.” MARK E. PETERSON Mayor, City of Winona, Minnesota

3 MAY 2021 TWIN CITIES – MILWAUKEE – CHICAGO INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL TCMC BENEFITS

Community and Economic Development » Brings in more visitors and workers to station communities » Enables communities to leverage the rail service to attract and retain jobs and businesses » Gives more options to communities with otherwise limited transportation choices » Supports development in downtowns and areas around the stations Traveler and Mobility Benefits » » Generates added jobs, income and More connection opportunities with sales from construction, train operations intercity bus, transit and air services and additional visitor spending » Allows travelers to work or relax while traveling » Provides downtown-to-downtown connections » Avoids traffic congestion, weather delays, parking, security lines and tolls Freight Network Improvements » Provides travel options for people who cannot or who choose not to drive » Improves freight rail operations and capacity » Grade-crossing and capacity improvements improve safety and reduce gate-down times » Supports freight rail shipping » More efficient freight operations reduce emissions and take trucks off roads

Operators and shippers will save $34.7 million over 30 years by moving freight more efficiently through the TCMC corridor

TWIN CITIES – MILWAUKEE – CHICAGO INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL MAY 2021 4 TCMC CONSTRUCTION AREAS Map not to scale.

TCMC and Amtrak Empire Builder route

TCMC train station

Congestion area SAINT PAUL WINONA, MN Siding extension TOWER WINONA CK SIDING New/converted track

SAINT PAUL Communications and signal upgrades MIDWAY RED WING FACILITY Install universal crossover

Interior building (facility) improvements

WINONA TOMAH MINNESOTA LA CROSSE WISCONSIN DELLS LA CRESCENT, MN PORTAGE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BRIDGE LA CROSSE, WI COLUMBUS LA CROSSE DOUBLE TRACK

IOWA WISCONSIN RIVER JUNCTION TO CHICAGO

The TCMC project includes improvementsILLINOIS to rail

infrastructure, so that the corridor can handle GLENVIEW increased freight and passenger train traffic.

These upgrades will allow the freight trains to move more quickly and Proposed TCMC smoothly through the corridor and alleviate train congestion and delays. improvements would reduce weekly gate-down TCMC BENEFIT: FREIGHT DELAY SAVINGS times by 9% in Winona, Minnesota and La Crosse, 2024 2040 Wisconsin. 21,800 360 192,000 3,200 minutes per year hours per year minutes per year hours per year

5 MAY 2021 TWIN CITIES – MILWAUKEE – CHICAGO INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL TCMC DOLLARS AND CENTS

Capital Costs maintenance facilities. The TCMC TCMC project’s total capital cost of received a $31.8 million Consolidated $53.3 million. Amtrak has committed TCMC saves capital expenditures by Rail Infrastructure and Safety $5 million, so the remaining $16.5 leveraging existing rail infrastructure, Improvements (CRISI) Program grant million in state matches is needed to equipment, crews, stations, and in 2020 that will cover 60% of the make the project a reality. PROJECT COST BY STATE FUNDING PARTNERS Amtrak: $5M

$12.3M MnDOT: in Wisconsin $10M (pending)

Federal WisDOT: CRISI grant: $6.5M $31.8M $40.7M (pending) in Minnesota

Revenue and Operations TCMC received a $12.6 million operating cost of $12.29 million federal Restoration and will be offset by the forecasted (First Year of Service) Enhancement grant to help offset $4.86 million annual revenue and operating costs in the first three years $5.62 million from the grant. The of service. For the first year of service, remaining $1.81 million cost would this means that Amtrak’s projected be shared among the state partners.

REVENUE AND OPERATING COST FORECAST BY FISCAL YEAR (IN MILLIONS)

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029

Amtrak Operating Cost $12.29 $12.30 $12.32 $12.33 $12.35 $12.36

Annual Revenue $4.86 $4.91 $4.95 $5.00 $5.04 $5.09

Federal Restoration and Enhancement Grant $5.62 $4.20 $2.79 $0 $0 $0

Shared State Partner Support (Split Among States) $1.81 $3.20 $4.58 $7.34 $7.30 $7.27

Note: As revenue increases annually, shared state partner support decreases.

TWIN CITIES – MILWAUKEE – CHICAGO INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL MAY 2021 6 TCMC: PUBLIC, STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK WHAT STAKEHOLDERS ARE SAYING “[The TCMC] project fills regional In early March 2021, the Wisconsin and Minnesota transportation system gaps and provides departments of transportation publicly shared a recorded an alternative that is cost-effective to implement, operate and maintain.” presentation detailing the TCMC project. In response, KURT BAUER, President and CEO the states received (as of April 9) over 3,800 comments, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce with about 84% indicating support for the project. “Additional rail service between Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota SUPPORT BY provides more opportunities TOTAL PERCENTAGE for regional relationships and new business ventures.” COMMENTS DEBBY JACKSON, Executive Director RECEIVED: Not in Favor Neutral to Less in Favor 12% Transportation Development 4% Association 3,825 “The economy of our community depends on a solid foundation that includes quality public transportation. COMMENTS BY NUMBER In Favor to Doubling the existing Amtrak service through our community strengthens In Favor to Leaning in Favor 3,208 Leaning in Favor 84% that foundation, helping us realize the Neutral 467 potential of our location, and making us the place where people will want to be.” Not in Favor to Less in Favor 150 JANIS CANNON, Senior Vice President Choice Hotels upscale brands Cambria Hotels and COMMENTS FROM the Ascend Collection MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN WHAT THE PUBLIC IS SAYING “This corridor ... needs any help it can get to provide travelers and commuters with more non- In Favor to Leaning in Favor automobile transportation options.” Neutral Not in Favor to Less in Favor “I live in Winona and all my kids live in Chicago. I would take this train once a month if you did this.”

MN “Recruiting and retaining good WI employees in smaller communities would be much easier ...”

“As a small businesses owner and eventual farmer, I am all for improving rail infrastructure for better access to the rural community.”

“The current departure time from St. Paul is often too early ... A second train [that will] provide more flexibility with times and greater reliability is much needed.”

7 MAY 2021 TWIN CITIES – MILWAUKEE – CHICAGO INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL